returned apathetically.

"Well, I must take these up to the cook." Dill held up the four fish
he had caught. "I'll think the matter over, William, and I thank you
for telling me. Of course you will go on and gather what there are."

"Sure," agreed Billy tonelessly, and followed Dill back to camp and
went to bed.

At daybreak it was raining, and Billy after the manner of cowboys
slept late; for there would be no riding until the weather cleared,
and there being no herd to hold, there would be none working save the
horse-wrangler, the night-hawk and cook. It was the cook who handed
him a folded paper and a sealed envelope when he did finally appear
for a cup of coffee. "Dill-pickle left 'em for yuh," he said.

Billy read the note--just a few lines, with a frown of puzzlement.

Dear William: Business compels my absence for a time. I hope you will
go on with your plans exactly as if I were with you. I am leaving a
power-of-attorney which will enable you to turn over the stock and
transact any other business that may demand immediate attention, in
case I am detained.

Yours truly,

Alexander P. Dill

It was queer, but Billy did not waste much time in wondering. He
rounded up the last of the Double-Cranks, drove them to Brown's
place and turned them over, with the home ranch, the horses, and camp
outfit--"made a clean sweep uh the whole damn', hoodooed works," was
the way he afterward put it. He had expected that Dill would be there
to attend to the last legal forms, but there was no sign of him or
from him. He had been seen to take the eastbound train at Tower, and
the rest was left to guessing.

"He must uh known them two-hundred odd wouldn't square the deal,"
argued Billy loyally to himself. "So uh course he'll come back and fix
it up. But what I'm to do about payin' off the boys gets me." For two
hours he worried, mentally in the dark. Then he hit upon an expedient
that pleased him. He told Brown he would need to keep a few of the
saddle-horses for a few days, and he sent the boys--those of them
who did not transfer their valuable services to Brown upon the
asking--over to the Bridger place to wait there until further orders.

Also, he rode reluctantly to the Double-Crank ranch, wondering, as he
had often done in the past few weeks, what would become of Flora and
Mama Joy. So far as he knew, they had not heard a word as to whether
Bridger was alive or dead, and if they had friends or family to whom
they m